Father: Son missing in woods may be recreating survival film plot

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ROSEBURG, Ore. -- The father of a missing 18-year-old Arizona man who left Lynnwood after a visit but never arrived home fears his son may be trying to recreate the plot line of a survival film.

Johnathan Croom's car was found in a rural area of Douglas County, Oregon on Wednesday but Croom remains nowhere to be found.

His father David Croom is among those frantically searching the Oregon wilderness for his son who has now been missing for a week, but police believe he may not want to be found.

"I've never felt a fear like this," David Croom said. "It's unexplainable."

David Croom says his son vanished last weekend just after setting out on the long road trip home to Arizona from Lynnwood where he'd been visiting a friend. That friend is the last person to hear from him, after Johnathan sent a text message where he talked about going "on an adventure."

David now fears that adventure may have been inspired by the 2007 film "Into the Wild" about a young hiker seeking isolation in the Alaskan wilderness.

"This was a kid who was obsessed with the movie," David Croom said. "My concern is he is up there with very limited resources, and no experience."

When police found Croom's abandoned SUV near the town of Riddle, Ore. on Wednesday, inside was Jonathan's wallet, $200 in cash and a book on outdoor survival tactics.

"Just as in that movie, he left everything behind and took off," David Croom said. "And we just don't know what he left with."

Johnathan Croom is 6-foot-1 and weighs 140 pounds and might be carrying a multi-colored backpack, his mother said. Anyone who thinks they might have spotted Croom is asked to contact the Douglas County (Ore.) Sheriff's Office at (541) 440-4471.